WHY YOU SHOULD EMBRACE THE PLANT
‘Veganuary’ gives you the chance to experiment with whole food plant-based snacks and recipes. Here are seven of the health benefits they bring
People who follow a WFPB diet consume less calories ALTHEA HUTCHINSON TAN, FOUNDING PARTNER OF THE HAPPY PLANTARIAN
Whether for ethical, cultural or health reasons, more people are choosing to eliminate animal foods and switching to a vegan diet.
“Going vegan” is especially popular in January, as we look for ways to make positive changes in our lives.
Dubbed “Veganuary”, this is the month to try plant-based snacks and experiment with the latest meat alternatives. But if you want to improve your health and lose weight, a whole food plant-based (WFPB) lifestyle is more effective than a standard vegan one.
A WFPB lifestyle focuses on whole plant foods like vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds, keeping the intake of processed foods to a minimum. It offers a host of health benefits, including the following seven, all of which are supported by science.
1. It’s good for your heart
Heart disease is the world’s leading cause of death, according to the World Health Organization. One of the best ways to lower your risk of heart disease is to adopt a WFPB lifestyle, which, unlike an animalbased diet, is low in saturated fat and cholesterol.
Plant foods contain soluble fibre. As this fibre makes its way through your colon, it binds to cholesterol particles and prevents them entering your bloodstream; the cholesterol is later excreted. by the body. “Plant foods are also rich in plant stanols and plant sterols, naturally occurring compounds found in plant cell membranes,” says Michelle Lau, a Hong Kong-based dietitian at Nutrilicious. “These compounds help to ‘block’ the absorption of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol, thereby lowering our risk of heart disease and stroke.”
A recent review found that a plant-based diet reduces the risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 40 per cent; reduces the risk of coronary heart disease by 40 per cent; reduces the risk of hypertension by 34 per cent; and is associated with lower total cholesterol levels compared with non-vegetarian diets. Researchers at the US Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine conducted the review, published in 2018 in the journal, Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases.
2. It supports your immune system
As the pandemic rages on, you may be wondering how to strengthen your immune response and protect yourself from infection.
One way is to eat more plant foods. A study published in 2021 in the journal BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health found that plant-based diets were associated with a 73 per cent reduction in the incidence of moderate to severe disease from Covid-19. This correlation could be explained by the fact that plant foods are rich in nutrients, say the researchers. Vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds are loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants like zinc and vitamins C, D and E, which help boost our immune function.
3. It gives you more energy
“Carbohydrates such as beans, lentils, pasta, sweet potatoes and most fruits keep your blood sugar levels stable, which helps you feel more energetic, rather than sluggish, throughout the day,” says Althea Hutchinson Tan, a founding partner of the Happy Plantarian, a WFPB cooking school and nutrition consultancy in Hong Kong.
“Plant foods have almost no saturated fat. Meat, eggs and other animal foods, however, contain saturated fat, a thick, waxy fat that can slow you down. When you eat foods without saturated fat, your blood is less viscous, meaning [it] becomes less like grease and more like water. This translates to better blood flow and increased oxygenation of body tissues, leaving you with more energy.”
4. It keeps your gut healthy
Dietary fibre – found in plant foods – is important for our digestive system as it feeds the trillions of bacteria that live in our gut, says Catherine Van Den Broek Hermant, a nutrition coach at Balance Health. These microbes help our body absorb nutrients from food, are crucial to our metabolic and immune health, synthesise vitamins, protect our immune system, and target disease-causing bacteria.
5. It can help you lose weight
“Without starving themselves, people who follow a WFPB diet consume less calories,” Tan says. “Whole grains, vegetables and fruits are less energy-dense than animal foods, meaning that, gram for gram, they have fewer calories.” As well as being naturally low in calories and fat, plant foods keep you feeling full for longer, thanks to their high fibre and water content.
6. It may reduce your cancer risk
Cancer is a leading global killer, with the World Cancer Research Fund estimating that, by 2030, there will be 21.7 million cases around the world, up from 14.1 million in 2012. We can prevent cancers, and even improve survival rates with a plant-based lifestyle. Plant foods contain cancer-fighting antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, plus they’re high in fibre and mostly low in fat, which may reduce risk.
7. It may prevent and treat diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a global epidemic. The International Diabetes Federation estimates that there are 537 million people living with the condition. By 2030 this figure is projected to grow to 643 million cases, and by 2045, to 783 million. Diet and lifestyle play a major role in its development; modifying these may help prevent and manage the condition.